Should collision damage be a deal breaker?

Many, if not most people will cross a vehicle off their list if it has any history of collision damage. An entire industry of body-damage and repair-history resources have popped up over the past decade or so, driven by consumer demand to know if a vehicle has a checkered past. Think of such multinational leaders such as CarProof or CarFax. And with all provincial regulatory bodies requiring full disclosure from licensed auto retailers regarding any reported damage on their products, the growth of this service is guaranteed.

Its only weak spot is that little, if any, collision damage paid outof-pocket by vehicle owners is reported, leaving some large holes in a consumer safety net.

But should collision damage take a potential ride off of your shopping list? Are there types of damage that, when properly repaired, don’t provide any risk to long-term reliability, performance, resale value and safety?

CarProof, one of the major market-share owners in vehicle history reports, has reviewed some helpful facts and tips to allow consumers to make better-informed decisions on their vehicle purchases. Since 2000, the company has run and analyzed reports on more than 13 million vehicles.

It reports that the national median collision-damage cost is $3,389, and that one out of every three vehicles reviewed has had some type of bodywork done.

Of course, the company strongly recommends getting a vehicle-collision history report on any vehicle you intend to purchase (most licensed retailers include this on their inventory), but also taking the vehicle for a thorough road test and having it inspected by a licensed technician.

CarProof’s media team can’t point to a specific dollar figure that might be the deal-breaking point, noting that repainting two doors after a parking-pillar scrape can easily top $1,500 but doesn’t represent any risk in long-term reliability of the vehicle. Recent consumer surveys it has commissioned reveal that almost two-thirds of buyers (61 per cent) are open to purchasing a car with a minor-accident history.

CarProof also suggests bringing a copy of any collision-damage history to your inspecting technician so they can verify the exact areas of repair and if they were all done correctly. Check the odometer readings on these reports to let you know if a distance-travelled pattern is off, indicating possible tampering.

Knowing all the facts about a vehicle’s history will also put you in a better bargaining position with the seller.

If you’re considering a late-model pre-owned vehicle with collision damage, be aware that any paint work by a body shop won’t be covered for defects by the carmaker (if the warranty is still in effect). But most large independent and chain collision outlets offer their own warranties on their work, which makes knowing the identity of the shop that did any such repairs very helpful.